A Total Solar Eclipse – Purna Surya Grahan – will take place on July 11, 2010. It is not visible in India. The eclipse will be visible only in parts of South America, Cook Islands, French Polynesia etc. Hindu Panchangs and calendars have ignored the Suryagrahanam. As per the India Time the eclipse will be taking place from 23:45:00 hrs on July 11, 2010 to 02:20:00 on July 12, 2010. The GMT or Universal Time of the Eclipse is from 18:15 UT to 20:52 UT

According to NASA, the Suryagrahan on July 11 is a ‘Total Solar Eclipse’ and Moon's umbral shadow crosses the South Pacific Ocean where it makes no landfall except for Mangaia (Cook Islands) and Easter Island (Isla de Pascua). The path of totality ends just after reaching southern Chile and Argentina. The Moon's penumbral shadow produces a partial eclipse visible from a much larger region covering the South Pacific and southern South America

The path of the Surya Grahan (Image from NASA)

Usually, Hindus do not perform any work during Surya Grahan and they purify themselves by taking a bath and chants the Ashtakshara Mantra dedicated to Shri Krishna, Lord Vishnu and Shiva. Ashtakshara mantra is ‘Shri Krishna ha sharnam mama.’

Generally most Hindu temples remain closed during the period of solar eclipse and temples reopen on the next day morning after special pujas and rituals. Hindus in large number take holy dip in Rivers like Ganges and other tirths especially at Brahmasarovar in Kurukshetra.

Note: This Surya Grahan is of no importance as per Hindu astrology and calendars. There is no need to follow any rules and rituals.